PLAYING THE PONIES
Sam Houston Race Park selections for Friday, Jan. 10
Jan 10, 2020, 6:50 am
SHRP
Here are my selections for opening night at Sam Houston Race Park. These are not meant to be in exact order, but merely the four horses I think have the best chance to win. For beginners, I suggest exacta boxes with three horses, using two of mine and one of your own. And you can always pick up a copy of Acing Racing 2016 to learn everything you need to know. (These are the picks and format that are available on the free tip sheet at SHRP). We will be doing The Blitz from 4-7 at the track so please drop by.
FIRST
5-2-8-3
JERSEY CUT will be a short price but class plunge puts her in the mix
SECOND
7-5-3-6
California shipper EXCAVATION has been in tough out West and works here are solid
THIRD
5-7-3-12
LADY SHAMAN has solid works for a barn that has a lot of win early runners
FOURTH
1-8-12-10
JAZZ MUSIC gets back to a sensible level and should be competitive here
FIFTH
11-4-2-8
VALID DECISION has a good record over the surface and could surprise here
SIXTH
6-2-3-5
CATKINS might be better if this is off the turf, but contender either way
SEVENTH
6-9-8-11
DARK ARDEN was competitive on a tough circuit and fits well here
EIGHTH
9-6-2-8
SILVER CITY TRICK has been knocking heads with tough runners in Oklahoma
NINTH
3-8-1-2
FLEETA BELLE has been close in last two and might break through here
TENTH
4-6-11-1
DOC'S CLASS ACT faced a couple tough fields in Oklahoma; fits well here
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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